1. Field of the Invention
It has long been known to package a loaf of bread, either sliced or unsliced, within a bag of plastic material, which bag is flexible in nature and surrounds the loaf of bread, the bag having a gusset end which is the sealed end and a closure end, which is the end which has a suitable tie thereon whereby to close the same and present what is called a "pony-tail" end of the bag enclosing the loaf of bread.
The conventional plastic bag enclosure for a loaf of bread is not satisfactory, particularly during handling, storage and display of the loaf of bread inasmuch as it permits compression of the bread both longitudinally and transversely. Yet further, the bread may not be stacked when transported or stored since the bag affords no protection against the compression of the lowermost loaves when several loaves are stacked one atop another.
This invention overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages inherent in the bag packaging of bread by providing a support member for the loaf of bread which support member embraces the loaf of bread and is contained within the bag together with the loaf of bread. The support member is of a cardboard material whereby to give the overall package for the loaf of bread a certain amount of rigidity, which rigidity prevents longitudinal or transverse compression of the loaf of bread during shipment, storage, display and handling.
Yet further, the support member permits the utilization of portions thereof for advertising or informative indicia which may be viewed through the gusset end of the bag, when the gusset end of the bag is made of transparent material.
All of the foregoing permits maintenance of the form of the loaf of bread during handling, storage and display which makes the same more attractive to the consumer.
2. Background of the Invention
This invention is an improvement, as indicated above, upon conventional flexible bag packaging for loaves of bread in that it provides a package which imparts a degree of rigidity to the overall package, which package includes the loaf of bread, the support member and the bag, the support member having a base wall which underlies the loaf of bread when it is in its normally horizontal position and end flaps which are vertical with respect to the base wall and whereby the U-shaped support member embraces the loaf of bread.
The packaging described herein was developed to overcome the disadvantages inherent in the packaging of a loaf of bread in merely a flexible plastic bag.